Danish Pastry

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

When making Danish pastry it is important to keep the dough very cold. In
shaping small pastries, it is sometimes necessary to re-chill partially
shaped dough until it is firm enough for the job to be completed. When you
first make the pastry, be careful to follow all the rules. Don't make it in
the summertime unless your kitchen is air conditioned. After you gain
experience you may attempt short cuts such as rolling out and folding the
dough twice in succession without re-chilling. Another way of shortening
the process is by placing the dough in the freezer between rollings.
Usually 10 minutes in the freezer is suffiecient. When you use this short
cut, be careful not to freeze the dough solid. The shaped pastries can also
be chilled in the freezer. They can even be baked frozen if extra baking
time is allowed. Any unbaked yeast pastries, however, should never be kept
frozen for more than a week or so; and it is preferable to bake anish
pastry within a day or two after it has been shaped.
Place 4 cups flour in large bowl.  Reserve remaining flour for rolling.
Make a well in center of bowl.
If dry yeast is used, see directions on package.  If fresh yeast is used,
cream it with sugar and salt to make a syrup. Add egg yolks or whole eggs,
grated orange rind, ground cardamom seeds, and vanilla.
Pour yeast mixture into well.  Add one cup milk and 1/4 cup butter cut into
pieces.  Mix with finger tips, adding more milk if necessary to make a
medium-soft dough. Knead dough in bowl for 5 minutes, or until it is smooth
but not elastic.  Flour it and let rest in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
While dough is resting, form remaining butter into a flattened brick. Using
some of the reserved flour on wax paper or pastry cloth, roll out butter
into a square about 1/3 inch thick. Use plenty of flour under and on top of
butter to keep it from sticking. Loosen it frequently as you rol. Cut the
square in 2 pieces. Place in refrigerator between sheets of wax paper.
Roll out dough on well-floured cloth to make a rectangle 3 times longer
than wide and about 1/3 inch thick. Brush excess flour from dough. Place a
piece of butter in center. Fold one end of dough over butter. Place
remaining butter on top.  Fold second end over the butter. Press edges
together.
Turn dough, changing its position so that the short ends are parallel with
the edge of table nearest you. Roll out on well-floured cloth, using a
firm, even motion to spread butter together with dough. Try to work
quickly, but check frequently underneat the dough to be sure it isn't
sticking.  Roll out a rectangele 3 times longer than wide, about 1/3 inch
thick.  rush excess flour from surface. Fold both ends of dough to meet in
center.  Press edges together, then fold in half as if closing a book,
which will make 4 layers of dough. Flour dough. Place on a cooky sheet.
Cover with aluminum foil. Refrigerate for 1/2 hour.
Repeat rolling and folding dough 3 more times, chilling it 20 minutes
between rollings.  Be sure to change position of dough each time so that
the short ends of dough are parallel with the edge of the table nearest you
when you start rolling.
After the final folding, chill dough at least 3 hours before shaping and
baking.
From: The Art of Fine Baking Shared By: Pat Stockett
From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini

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